Lec 1: Psychiatric Diagnosis and Nosology Flashcards
Diagnosis
classification of disorders by symptoms and signs; cornerstone of clinical care
Advantages of Diagnosis
facilitates communications between professionals; advances search for causes and treatments
DSM-5
current edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; published by APA
Changes in DSM-5
no more axes, instead categories: clinical syndromes, psychosocial & environmental problems, plus specific severity rating; new diagnoses; combined diagnoses; clearer criteria
Categorical Diagnosis
presence/absence of a disorder; yes/no
Dimensional Diagnosis
rank on a continuous scale; ex. 1-10
Ethnic/Cultural Considerations
different risk factors, symptoms; willingness to seek help and availability of treatments
Interrater Reliability
extent to which clinicians agree on a diagnosis; usually good in DSM, esp in formal research settings
Validity
diagnoses are constructs, and strong construct validity predicts a wide range of characteristics; very important
Criticisms of Classification
stigmatization of mental illness; categories vs individuality of situation; may emphasize trivial similarities, ignore more important
Psychological Assessment
describe, determine cause, and diagnose client problem; diagnose; develop treatment plan and monitor progress; ideal assessment includes multiple methods
Clinical Interview
pay attention to how questions are answered, emotions; good rapport; formal vs informal
Self-Report Personality Inventories
profile of psychological functioning; MMPI; detect lying
Projective Tests
Rorschach Inkblot; Thematic Apperception; responses to ambiguous stimuli reflect unconscious processes; often seen as not scientifically valid
Intelligence Tests
WAIS and WISC; assesses current mental ability
Behavioral Observation
sequence of behavior divided into segments (antecedents, consequences); often conducted in lab setting or videotaped
Self-Observation
self-monitoring; Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) collection of data in real time using diaries/devices; reactivity concerns
Reactivity
the act of observing one’s behavior may alter it; desirable behaviors increase and undesirable decrease
Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT scan)
reveals structural abnormalities; detects difference in tissue density
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
higher quality than CAT; fMRI can reveal function AND structure; measures blood flow in brain
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Brain function; more invasive; receptor specific
Brain Imaging
Not enough research done yet to become part of DSM/diagnosis
Neurotransmitter Assessment
postmortem studies, actual examination of the brain; metabolites (byproducts of neurotransmitters) in urine or cerebrospinal fluid
Neuropsychological Test
reveal performance deficits to indicate areas of brain malfunction; time, memory, sound tests
Psychophysiological Assessment
electrocardiogram (EKG) heart rate; electrodermal responding (skin conductance); electroencapholgram (EEG) brain’s electrical activity measured by electrodes
Cultural Bias in Assessment
measures developed for one group may not be valid for others; cultural bias may minimize/exaggerating psychological problems
